ICC T20 Championship to be most viewed cricket event

Next month's ICC World Twenty20 in England will be the most viewed cricket spectacle beamed across 216 countries, including China and Russia.

Campbell Jamieson, ICC General Manager (Commercial), told reporters here today that for the first time in the International Cricket Council's history, an event would be telecast in more than 200 countries.

"We expect it to be the most viewed cricket event in the history of the game. Through ESPN STAR Sports, ICC's global media rights and broadcast partner, and its various broadcast partners worldwide, this event can be viewed in over 200 countries which is a first for an ICC event," Jamieson said.

R C Venkateish, Managing Director of ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, said the broadcaster would raise the bar this time.

"We have started with a bang with international syndication rights going to as many as 216 countries. This is almost a double of what we achieved in 2007," he said.

"Even in terms of on-air sales, we have written 80 per cent more revenue as compared to the last edition," Venkateish added.